Our latest publication is now out at Genome Biology!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We uncover a unique association between a H3K27me3 reader complex and active transcription.
A thread with our key findings: (1/8)
#TEsky #Polycomb #transcription #smallRNAs
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We uncover a unique association between a H3K27me3 reader complex and active transcription.
A thread with our key findings: (1/8)
#TEsky #Polycomb #transcription #smallRNAs
A H3K27me3 reader complex couples H3K27me3 accumulation to nascent transcription of transposable elements in Paramecium - Genome Biology
Background The ability to deposit histone H3K27-trimethyl (me3) marks is essential for transcriptional repression by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). This is largely attributed to Polycomb repres...
link.springer.com
April 8, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Our latest publication is now out at Genome Biology!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We uncover a unique association between a H3K27me3 reader complex and active transcription.
A thread with our key findings: (1/8)
#TEsky #Polycomb #transcription #smallRNAs
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We uncover a unique association between a H3K27me3 reader complex and active transcription.
A thread with our key findings: (1/8)
#TEsky #Polycomb #transcription #smallRNAs
Polycomb repressive-deubiquitinase complex safeguards oocyte epigenome and female fertility by restraining Polycomb activity www.nature.com/articles/s4...
March 20, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Polycomb repressive-deubiquitinase complex safeguards oocyte epigenome and female fertility by restraining Polycomb activity www.nature.com/articles/s4...
Very excited to share an excellent review from @teresa-urli.bsky.social, published one week before her PhD defense! We did a deep dive into the fascinating biology of the variant Polycomb complex, PRC1.6 (1/5) journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
Epigenetic relay: Polycomb-directed DNA methylation in mammalian development
In mammals, repression of germline-specific gene expression is essential for preserving somatic cell identity and preventing disease. Germline gene silencing is often dependent on the presence of prom...
journals.plos.org
September 15, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Very excited to share an excellent review from @teresa-urli.bsky.social, published one week before her PhD defense! We did a deep dive into the fascinating biology of the variant Polycomb complex, PRC1.6 (1/5) journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
where are the polycomb and swi/snf starter packs
November 15, 2024 at 11:18 PM
where are the polycomb and swi/snf starter packs
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
Dynamic evolution of EZHIP, an inhibitor of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in mammals
The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is an ancient, conserved chromatin-interacting complex that controls gene expression, facilitating differentiation and cellular identity during development. It...
www.biorxiv.org
December 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
1/ H3K27me3 mimicry has repeatedly emerged through evolution, but what's the physiological relevance?
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 15, 2025 at 12:12 AM
1/ H3K27me3 mimicry has repeatedly emerged through evolution, but what's the physiological relevance?
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🚨 We discovered a new mode of Hox gene regulation in annelids! 🪱 A distal enhancer acts as a "global control region", lifting Hox genes from Polycomb repression. This is reminiscent of Hox gene control in vertebrates, but the two modes likely evolved convergently.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
May 19, 2026 at 8:09 PM
🚨 We discovered a new mode of Hox gene regulation in annelids! 🪱 A distal enhancer acts as a "global control region", lifting Hox genes from Polycomb repression. This is reminiscent of Hox gene control in vertebrates, but the two modes likely evolved convergently.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
During germline epigenetic reprogramming, Polycomb must be restricted in the gametes to ensure proper genome regulation in the fertilized embryo. 2 must-read papers assess what happens when Ezhip (Polycomb antagonist) is lost. They come to highly similar conclusions and should be read in tandem 1/4
February 3, 2026 at 9:35 AM
During germline epigenetic reprogramming, Polycomb must be restricted in the gametes to ensure proper genome regulation in the fertilized embryo. 2 must-read papers assess what happens when Ezhip (Polycomb antagonist) is lost. They come to highly similar conclusions and should be read in tandem 1/4
Excited to share @suminkim.bsky.social and @mileshuseyin.bsky.social 's new Current Opinion review on how Polycomb complexes mediate 3D genome interactions including mechanistic models and potential roles in gene regulation:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 18, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Excited to share @suminkim.bsky.social and @mileshuseyin.bsky.social 's new Current Opinion review on how Polycomb complexes mediate 3D genome interactions including mechanistic models and potential roles in gene regulation:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Please see our paper in Nature on read-write mechanisms of H2AK119 ubiquitination by Polycomb repressive complex I. Congrats to the whole team, especially Victoria and huge thanks to our collaborator JP Armache! Also big thanks to Mark Foundation for Cancer Research for the support! rdcu.be/dZ5HZ
Read–write mechanisms of H2A ubiquitination by Polycomb repressive complex 1
Nature - Cryo-electron microscopy and biochemical studies elucidate the read–write mechanisms of non-canonical PRC1-containing RYBP in histone H2A lysine 119 monoubiquitination and their...
rdcu.be
November 13, 2024 at 6:23 PM
Please see our paper in Nature on read-write mechanisms of H2AK119 ubiquitination by Polycomb repressive complex I. Congrats to the whole team, especially Victoria and huge thanks to our collaborator JP Armache! Also big thanks to Mark Foundation for Cancer Research for the support! rdcu.be/dZ5HZ
Very excited to share our newest findings! A very long team effort pursued by multiple team members -to frantically reproduce everything over and over-, we show mTOR-Polycomb synergy at promoters of developmental master regulator TFs in ESCs prior to their expression. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
May 3, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Very excited to share our newest findings! A very long team effort pursued by multiple team members -to frantically reproduce everything over and over-, we show mTOR-Polycomb synergy at promoters of developmental master regulator TFs in ESCs prior to their expression. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
My lab's newest research paper on the Drosophila eye is published in Development today. Thanks to the editorial staff for writing a research highlight and interviewing us about our work.
journals.biologists.com/dev/article-...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article-...
Differential regulation of eye specification in Drosophila by Polycomb Group epigenetic repressors
Highlighted Article: Distinct gene sets are differentially expressed in response to the knockdown of Polycomb Group (PcG) members, suggesting that multiple avenues may exist for the eye to be transfor...
journals.biologists.com
August 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
My lab's newest research paper on the Drosophila eye is published in Development today. Thanks to the editorial staff for writing a research highlight and interviewing us about our work.
journals.biologists.com/dev/article-...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article-...
A preview on the latest work from @robklose.bsky.social lab where Aleks (Not made the bluesky transition yet) used single molecule approaches to address how Polycomb controls transcription. He found that Polycomb limits the frequency with which a promoter can enter a permissive transcribing state.
November 21, 2024 at 8:00 AM
A preview on the latest work from @robklose.bsky.social lab where Aleks (Not made the bluesky transition yet) used single molecule approaches to address how Polycomb controls transcription. He found that Polycomb limits the frequency with which a promoter can enter a permissive transcribing state.
Really beautiful paper by @kjarmache.bsky.social revealing read-write mechanisms of histone ubiquitylation by Polycomb complexes - through an intricate interplay of ubiquitin binding and ubiquitin transfer. Congratulations to all authors!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Read–write mechanisms of H2A ubiquitination by Polycomb repressive complex 1 - Nature
Cryo-electron microscopy and biochemical studies elucidate the read–write mechanisms of non-canonical PRC1-containing RYBP in histone H2A lysine 119 monoubiquitination and their roles in maintaining e...
www.nature.com
December 22, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Really beautiful paper by @kjarmache.bsky.social revealing read-write mechanisms of histone ubiquitylation by Polycomb complexes - through an intricate interplay of ubiquitin binding and ubiquitin transfer. Congratulations to all authors!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our paper is finally out in Nature Plants. MAIL proteins antagonize Polycomb-mediated silencing. Full text here: rdcu.be/eJisX
Plant mobile domain protein–DNA motif modules counteract Polycomb silencing to stabilize gene expression
Nature Plants - This study reveals that plant proteins MAIL1, MAIN and MAIL2 function as anti-silencing factors that maintain active gene expression. They bind specific DNA motifs to prevent...
rdcu.be
October 6, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Our paper is finally out in Nature Plants. MAIL proteins antagonize Polycomb-mediated silencing. Full text here: rdcu.be/eJisX
Clonal hematopoiesis-associated DNMT3A mutations derepress bivalent Polycomb target genes and enhance macrophage migration https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.24.754138v1
September 25, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Clonal hematopoiesis-associated DNMT3A mutations derepress bivalent Polycomb target genes and enhance macrophage migration https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.24.754138v1
Happy to share our new review on Polycomb-mediated 3D chromatin interactions! Thanks to @mileshuseyin.bsky.social and @andersshansen.bsky.social for great discussions throughout the process :)
Excited to share @suminkim.bsky.social and @mileshuseyin.bsky.social 's new Current Opinion review on how Polycomb complexes mediate 3D genome interactions including mechanistic models and potential roles in gene regulation:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 19, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Happy to share our new review on Polycomb-mediated 3D chromatin interactions! Thanks to @mileshuseyin.bsky.social and @andersshansen.bsky.social for great discussions throughout the process :)
Excited to share the paper from my work in the Dean lab @johninnescentre.bsky.social out now in @cp-molcell.bsky.social. Huge thanks to all the co-authors - it was a great collaborative effort! Watch out for the associated cover artwork coming out next week 🎉 www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing
Schulten et al. show that VEL polymerization domains produce higher-order protein
assemblies to maintain chromatin association of Polycomb proteins, enabling a stable
epigenetic switch at the floral r...
www.cell.com
August 26, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Excited to share the paper from my work in the Dean lab @johninnescentre.bsky.social out now in @cp-molcell.bsky.social. Huge thanks to all the co-authors - it was a great collaborative effort! Watch out for the associated cover artwork coming out next week 🎉 www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1: a Polycomb-beyond composite regulator of chromatin in development, stress, and defense doi.org/10.1093/plce... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1: a Polycomb-beyond composite regulator of chromatin in development, stress, and defense
Abstract. Amid its dynamic roles within Polycomb group (PcG) complexes, a growing body of work shows that LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1 (LHP1) interacts w
doi.org
June 8, 2026 at 12:03 PM
LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN 1: a Polycomb-beyond composite regulator of chromatin in development, stress, and defense doi.org/10.1093/plce... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
Check out our new findings showing BRD4's role in preventing the premature activation of developmental transcription factors via #Polycomb, providing new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorder #CdLS #NDDs, #chromatinopathies www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
February 2, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Check out our new findings showing BRD4's role in preventing the premature activation of developmental transcription factors via #Polycomb, providing new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorder #CdLS #NDDs, #chromatinopathies www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Very happy to share our collaborative study revealing a novel recruitment mode for Polycomb at the chromatin: The 1st cryoEM structure of a plant PRC2 complex, in presence/absence of the ULT1 cofactor!
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
ULTRAPETALA1 remodels PRC2 recruitment to nucleosomes
Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) establishes transcriptional repression through trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a modification essential for developmental patterning. Here, we d...
www.biorxiv.org
June 20, 2026 at 11:54 PM
Very happy to share our collaborative study revealing a novel recruitment mode for Polycomb at the chromatin: The 1st cryoEM structure of a plant PRC2 complex, in presence/absence of the ULT1 cofactor!
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Very excited to share our new Molecular Cell paper on missense mutations in Polycomb genes and how they can disrupt chromatin regulation to drive neurodevelopmental disorders. A huge thank you to everyone involved, and to our amazing collaborators!
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Unbalanced chromatin binding of Polycomb complexes drives neurodevelopmental disorders
Borges, González-Blanco, Arigela, et al. report new missense mutations in the PRC1
genes RNF2 and RING1 in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Functional
dissection of a deleterious variant...
www.cell.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Very excited to share our new Molecular Cell paper on missense mutations in Polycomb genes and how they can disrupt chromatin regulation to drive neurodevelopmental disorders. A huge thank you to everyone involved, and to our amazing collaborators!
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Nice work from @sulteavn.bsky.social In Caroline Dean’s lab showing that:
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing
Schulten et al. show that VEL polymerization domains produce higher-order protein
assemblies to maintain chromatin association of Polycomb proteins, enabling a stable
epigenetic switch at the floral r...
www.cell.com
August 28, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Nice work from @sulteavn.bsky.social In Caroline Dean’s lab showing that:
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
New Article: "The dual trxG/PcG protein ULTRAPETALA1 modulates H3K27me3 and directly enhances POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 activity for fine-tuned reproductive transitions" rdcu.be/fxOEJ
With News&Views: "ULTRA(PETALA)-boosted plant Polycomb" rdcu.be/fxOET #PlantScience
With News&Views: "ULTRA(PETALA)-boosted plant Polycomb" rdcu.be/fxOET #PlantScience
August 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM
New Article: "The dual trxG/PcG protein ULTRAPETALA1 modulates H3K27me3 and directly enhances POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 activity for fine-tuned reproductive transitions" rdcu.be/fxOEJ
With News&Views: "ULTRA(PETALA)-boosted plant Polycomb" rdcu.be/fxOET #PlantScience
With News&Views: "ULTRA(PETALA)-boosted plant Polycomb" rdcu.be/fxOET #PlantScience
Epigentically-induced cancer in absence of mutation #drosophila
Transient loss of Polycomb components induces an epigenetic cancer fate - Nature
A transient perturbation of transcriptional silencing mediated by Polycomb proteins is sufficient to induce an epigenetic cancer cell fate in Drosophila in the absence of driver mutations.
www.nature.com
April 25, 2024 at 7:58 AM
Epigentically-induced cancer in absence of mutation #drosophila